A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS 3

(A&M)

This is the third in a series of contemporary holiday compilations to benefit the Special Olympics. The first, which most memorably featured Madonna's interpretation of "Santa Baby," came out in '87; the second appeared in '92. Pop's perennial patron of good causes, Sting, kicks round three off with a solemn "I Saw Three Ships"; jam bandits Dave Matthews and Blues Traveler offer up a couple of original tunes with "Christmas" in the title; and rappers Mase, Puff Daddy, Snoop Doggy Dogg, and Salt-n-Pepa gang up on "Santa Baby." There's also Enya's "Oíche Chiúin" ("Silent Night"), which is particularly appropriate since every song she does sounds a little like "Silent Night"; Smashing Pumpkins getting all solemn on Billy Corgan's "Christmastime"; and a Soundgarden-less Chris Cornell proving with an operatic rendition of Schubert's "Ave Maria" that if he put on a few pounds he could be the fourth tenor. It's all just another reminder of the holiday season's power to bring people from all walks of music and life down to the same blandly pleasant level.

-- Matt Ashare

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